Toy fichting-tank



W. H. HUTH.

TOY FIGHTING TANK. APPLICATION FILED mmm. ma. nENEwED SEPT. ls. 1919.

1,334,539. Patented Har. 23, 1920.

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IHHIIIIHHHHM l WALTER H.. HUTH, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

TOY FIGHTING-TANK.

specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 23, 1920.

Application led March 21, 1918, Serial No. 223,790. Renewed September 18, 1919. Serial No. 324,581.

To all whom t may concern.'

Beit known that I, WALTER H. HUTH, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of lllinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Toy Fighting-Tanks, of which the following is a specilication.

This invention relates to mechanical toys of the kind that are made to resemble the so-c-alled tanks now in use by the British Army inFrane, and which comprise a body y within which the power-plant and other essentials are inclosed, and which are propelled by caterpillar traction devices.

r1`he object of the invention is to provide a novel and comparatively cheap constructionwhich will result in a toy that resembles the so-called fighting tank in appearance,

4and which will travel on the floor and over obstacles, and which will constitute an attractive mechanical toy.

To these and other useful ends, the invention consists in matters hereinafter set forth Vand claimed, and shown ifn the accompanying` drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective of a. toy fighting tank embodying the principles ofthe invention. f

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the toy shown in Fig'. 1 on line 2-2 in Fig. 8.

Fig. 3 is a plan of said toy.

Fig. 4 is a transverse section on line 4--1 in Fig. 2. i Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail view illustrating a portion ofthe construction.

Fig. 6 is a detail section on line 6-6 in Fig. 3.

As thus illustrated, the invention comprises a sheet? metal body composed of fiat sides l which 'are spaced apart and tapered at their ends, the forward end tapering upwardly and the rear end tapering downwardly thereby to give the toy the desired outline in side elevation. The two walls 1 are rigidly held together by a sheet met-al i topwall 2 which extends forward and downward to the point 3 on the inclined underside lof the front portion of the toy, and which extends downward and around to the point 4.- on the bottom of the rear portion thereof, so that the greater portion of the bottom is left open. The wall 2 has its edges provided with lugs 5 inserted through o .en-

ingsy 6 in the side walls 1, and suitably ent` t0 fasten the sides and top rigidly. together.

The sides .are also connected together by transverse cylindric members 7, 8, 9 and 10, disposed adjacent the four corners of the sides, and upon these cylindric members rollers 11 are mounted. These rollers have grooved peripheries, the bottom of each groove being preferably convex, (see Fig. t) and the. endless belts 12 extend tightly around these rollers, said 'belts having rough ened tread portions to travel on the floor or on the ground. Preferably, each 'belt is made of rubber, or of rubber and fabric, so

that each belt can be stretched suliiciently to enable it to hold itself tightly in contact with the rollers. With this arrangement, the rollers 11 on the rear member 7 are rotated, in a suitable manner, by a gearing 13 connected to a spring motor, (not shown) of any suitable character, with the result that the bottom portions -of the two endless traction belts travel backward, while the upper# portions thereof travel forward. ln this way, caterpillar traction devices are em ployed for propelling the toy, in a manner that will be readily understood. It will be seen,l of course, that the top wall 2 must be notched at 14C, 15 and 16 to receive some of the rollers 11, and that the belts 12 slide forward upon the upper surface of the top wall 2, .when the toy is in operation.

From the foregoing it will be seen that a toy fighting tank is provided which can be very economically manufactured, but which willA be attractive in appearance, and which will have the requisites of the original lightv ing tanksl previously mentioned. The toy .can be of any suitable size, but is preferably large enough to climb over obstacles, and to cross from one side of a space to the other, and to in this way simulate the actions of the full-sized fighting tank. The rubber belts 12 furnish proper traction, and as they are stretched before they are put over the rollers 11, it follows that these belts will stay in place, and will have sufficient friotional contact with the rollers 7 to be driven in the desired manner.

The bottom portions of the belt 12 preferably bear upward `against small rollers 17 which are journaled on the inner sides of the side walls of the toy, and which have flat treads to bear upon the belts. In` this way, as previously explained, thebottom of the toy is practically open, but the belts 12 are in position to support the weight and to propel the toy forward on the floor.

s travel on the outer surface of the body.

The traction belts 12 have their treads roughened ink any suitable manner, and formed of rubber or other elastic or resilient material, 1and preferably this is done tlrly transverse l v or corrugatin 't e tread surfiileegefoeaudlir belt. With this arrangement, each caterpillar traction belt is flexible and resilient in character, and is preferably sulliciently elastic to rmit it to be stretched over the rollers, so t at the tension resultin from'this stretching will hold the belts tig tly on the rollers, particularly the rollers which drive the belts.

The toy is so shaped, it will be seen, that it will climb obstacles, such as books or other things laid on the floor, and for this purpose the front end is preferably inclined forward, and the belts extend around the rollers 11 which are located at the front end. Also, as shown, the rear end is inclined forward, and the rollers 11, it will be seen, ai'e all located in the corners between the top and bottom and ends of the body, so that these rollers are placed wherever the flexible belt changes its angle or direction of 'What I claim as my invention is:-

1. A toy lighting tank com rising caterpillar tractiondevices form by one or more elastic bands 'with the elastic material thereof in direct contact with the surface over which the toy travels, thereby increasing the traction and present' a cushion tread to the surface over which 1t travels.

2. A toy com rising caterpillar traction devices formed one or morebands having rubber therein to form cushion treads and to insure elasticity to keep the bands tight 'and with the rubber treads roughened to increase the traction.

3.y A toy iightingtankcomprising cater;

pillar traction devices formed: by one or more flexible bands of fabric'and rubber-,

with the rubber itself forming cushion treads in direct contact with the surface over which the tank travels, and'4 the rubber treads of said band or bands being roughened to increase the traction.

4. A toy fighting tank comprising side walls spaced apart, inclosin means rlgidly connecting said walls toget er to form' a hollow-body, upper and lower rollers between said walls, endless caterpillar traction belts on said rollers, said belts traveling on the outer surface of 'said inclosing means,

so that each entirebelt is exposed, and two rows vof smaller rollers to support the weight on the lower portions of sald belts, said inclosing means forming a top wall which y ands.

belt.

- a rear end which is also inclined forward, a

substantially flat top countersunk and interposed between the upper edges of the side walls, rollers disposed at the four corners between the top and bottom and ends, and endless caterpillar traction belts extending around -said rollers and over the top of the body, and underneath the body inside of said upper edge, each belt being conformed to the outline of thebody.

6. A structure as specified in claim 5, in combination with two rows of smaller rollers to engage -the bottom portions of the belts to support the Weight of the toy thereon, and means to rotate the rollers at the rear end of the toy to operate said belts to drive the toy forward.

7. A toy lighting tank comprising a hollow body having'atop and a bottom and front and rear ends, the front 'end being inclined forward, flat. sides, rollers inclosed in said body, said body havin openings through which the rollers exten shafts extending through the sides to support said rollers, 'and endless caterpillar traction belts extending entirely around vthe body, each belt beingpengaged by some of said rollers,

and devices to operate one or more of said rollers to operate the traction belts' and thereby propel the toy forward,

8. V Ai-toy fighting tank comprising caterpillar traction devices formed by elastic 9L A toy lighting tank comprising caterpillar traction devices formed y bands having rubber therein to insure elasticity to keep the bands tight. Y

10. A. toy fighting tank/comprising caterpillar traction devices forme by flexible and resilient bands.

11. In a traveling toy havin caterpillar 'l traction, the combination of a exibleband having a smooth inner surface and an outer tread surface, and rollers to support and drivesaid band, the material of the band being elastic to keep it stretched tightly around said rollers, so that one roller has.

sulicient frictional engagement to drive the Signed by me at Chicago Cook county Illinois, this twelfth da of lliarch, 1918. W TER H. HUTH. 

